Process of treating hydrocarbon oils



y ,1 H. E. VDRENNAN{ 2,160,249

PROCESS OF TREATING HYDROCARBON OILS Filed July 25, 1936 INVENTOR. HARRY E. DRENNAN A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES PROCESS OF TREA'RlgG HYDROCARBON Harry E. Drennan, Whittenburg, Tex., assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware Application July 25,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of treating hydrocarbons for the purpose of producing therefrom an improved type of motor fuel. In its more specific aspects, the present invention relates to the treatment of hydrocarbons of the gasoline type to convert the same into gasoline like products having high anti-knock qualities.

The object of this invention, therefore, is to treat hydrocarbons of the gasoline type to improve their qualities.

A still further object of this invention is to treat hydrocarbons of the gasoline type by contacting the same with gypsum and thereby improve the anti-knock qualities of the same.

Briefly, by this invention it is proposed to produce gasoline like products of high quality by passing hydrocarbon oils in vapor phase, while maintained in a highly heated or superheated form, into contact with gypsum which is main- 20 tained by the heat of the vapors or otherwise at a temperature above the normal vapor temperature at the existing pressure of the hydrocarbons under treatment.

T The following description, which is a preferred type of operation, is offered merely for purpose of disclosing the different stages to include the various temperatures and conditions which exist and is not to be considered as limitations thereto, as the method is capable of many variations which are included within the general scope of the invention.

The drawing illustrates diagrammatically one type of apparatus for effecting the present invention.

The hydrocarbon oil to be treated is introduced forced into a heating coil l2 contained in the furnace l3 which may be heated by any suitable means. In coil l2 the oil is vaporized and heated to any desirable temperature, and the heated vapors pass from coil l2 to a continuation thereof l2A wherein the vaporized oil is superheated and from whence it passes through the pipe 14 into a catalytic treatment tower IS in which 5 there is contained a body of gypsum, designated by the reference numeral IS. The vapors entering the tower 15 pass through the body E6 of gypsum which is maintained by the heat of the vapors, or by any other suitable means, at a desired temper- 59 ature. 'I'hetreated vapors leave the tower I5 near the bottom thereof and flow through a pipe I! controlled by valve 3|, into a fractionthrough pipe it] by means of a pump H and 1936, Serial No. 92,633

the clay containing tower 22 through conduit 24 and pass through a condenser 25 and then flow through conduit 26 to a tank 21 from which they are withdrawn through pipe 28, controlled by valve 29, to storage.

If the product being charged to the vaporizing coil I2 is in the boiling range desired, fractionating tower l8 may be by-passed and the vapors passed directly from the catalyst tower I5 to the clay tower 22 at the desired temperature. Wherein it is desired to by-pass the vapors around the fractionating tower I8, the valve 30 in the line 32 is opened, and valve 3! of line H and valve 33 of line 2! is closed.

Condensates accumulating in the towers l5 and 22 may be withdrawn from the bottoms thereof through the pipes 34 and 35 respectively, which are controlled by the valves 36 and 31.

The invention contemplates fractionating or refractionation of the hydrocarbon oils treated by the process when required. Example is given below to clarify the process but is not tobe interpreted as limitations to the invention.

E:campZe.Cracked' gasoline was vaporized and the vapors heated to 700 F. and passed through a tower containing gyp rock screened to I pass a 5 mesh and retained on 30 mesh screen. Gyp rock is a mixture of gypsum and sand common in the oil fields. The tower was maintained at about 700 F. at a pressure of between 15 and 20 pounds per square inch. The rate of passing the gasoline vapors through the gypsum was equivalent to 3 to 6 barrels of distillate per hour per ton of catalyst. Tests on the charge and make are as follows:

Charge Make Gravity A. P. I 56. 2 Initial boiling point 98 F. 5 142 Percent loss 1 Percent over at 212 F Reid vapor pressure. 9. i 8.1 Percent sulphur.-. 136 111 Octane No- 61.0 62. 8 Qc.,tetraethy1 lead per gallon to 70 octane No 2. 1 l. 05 Percent reduction tetraethyl lead. 50

In practicing this invention the temperature may range from 500 to 1500 F. and the pressure may vary from atmospheric to 5,000 pounds. But when treating lighter hydrocarbons, such as bu? tane and methane, in accordance with this invention the pressure may vary from atmospheric to 5000 pounds and the temperature from 800, to 1500 F.

In the practice of this invention it is to be un derstood that nothing herein stated relative to the description thereof is intended to restrict the type of hydrocarbons of the motor fuel or gasoline range or type that may be treated in accordance with the teachings of this present invention, and accordingly hydrocarbons of the gasoline type or, within the gasoline or motor fuel range, derived from distillation, cracking, polymerization, or by any other manner and from any source, may be treated by the method herein described.

I claim:

1. The method of increasing the anti-knock qualities of hydrocarbons boiling within the gasoline range which comprises contacting said hydrocarbons while in the vapor phase and at a temperature within the range 500 F. to 1500 F.

with a body of gypsum at a flow rate sufficientthat only a minor amount of cracking occurs,

, thereby obtaining gasoline boiling hydrocarbons of improved anti-knock characteristics.

2. The method of improving the anti-knock characteristics of hydrocarbons boiling within the gasoline range, which comprises passing said hydrocarbons in the vapor phase at a temperature within the range 500 F. to 1200 F. over a body of gypsum at a flow rate so regulated that the product obtained also boils within the gasoline range, thereby improving the anti-knock characteristics of said hydrocarbons.

3. The method of increasing the anti-knock properties of hydrocarbons boiling within the gasoline range which comprises contacting said hydrocarbons while in the vapor phase and at a temperature within the range 500 F. to 1200 F., with a body of gypsum without substantial condensation of said hydrocarbons and at a flow rate sufficient that only a minimum of cracking occurs, thereby providing products boiling within the gasoline range of improved anti-knock characteristics.

HARRY E. DRENNAN. 

